Global Goals and the UNCRC on poverty
Listening The first global goal is no poverty. The first sub-goal of No Poverty is to eradicate extreme poverty. Extreme poverty is defined as living on less than Swedish kronor (SEK) 20 per day according to the World Bank. Today, around 700 million people live in extreme poverty. 356 million of them are children. This corresponds to about one in six children. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child reminds us that every child has the right to a secure childhood free from poverty.
Each country has its own measure of when a person is considered poor. In Sweden, the goal is to halve the number of people living in poverty by 2030.
Poor in more than money
Poverty is not just about lack of money. It is also about lack of freedom, power, health and influence. Being able to choose is a freedom that many poor people lack. Not being able to go to school is also poverty. That's why there are targets for all countries to introduce social protection for all citizens. Girls and women are often more affected by poverty than boys and men. Another target is therefore to ensure that all men and women have equal rights to financial resources and to own property.
Global goal number 1 - no poverty
Global goal number 1 - no poverty
Eradicating poverty
Ending poverty is about creating equal opportunities. This applies to education, health and safety and many other areas. We should share with others, not just to be kind but to create justice.
Why are some people poor?
There are many causes of poverty. Both countries and people can be affected by poverty. A country may have sold its natural resources cheaply and then had to buy the finished products at high prices. Many have experienced how wars destroyed everything they built. Or drought has meant that a farmer has had to slaughter all his animals and it is not possible to grow crops. Perhaps someone in the family has fallen ill and they have sold everything to pay for medical care.
What does the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child say about poverty?
There are several articles in the Convention on the Rights of the Child that are linked to Global Goal 1 - No poverty.
Article 6 of the UNCRC states that all children have the right to life, development and well-being. This is important for children to be able to enjoy all their rights under the CRC.
Articles 26 and 27 of the CRC state that every child has the right to an adequate standard of living and the right to security. This can include, for example, food, clothing, medicine and a place to live. If parents are poor, sick or don't have a job, the family should receive help to ensure the child's well-being.
This text was originally published on April 1, 2018.
Published: 04 May 2023
